Floating support



Feb. 20, 1962 J. D. HAGGERTY FLOATING SUPPORT Filed Dec. 3, 1959 Eran far Jbmes D. H 19 WW This invention relates to a floating support which may he used by children or adults for pleasure or as a life preserver, and more particularly to a floating support having an adjustable deck retained within a buoyant an nulus in a manner which aifords a high degree of stability as well as a desirable simplicity and attractiveness of construction.

Although a variety of pneurriaticfloats have been available previously, these have generally been characterized by a relatively complex structure as wellas by a limited scope of use. Thepresent invention affords a floating support which can beused as a life preserver, or as a toy, boat or raft as desired, and includes an inflatable annulus or tube having a deck secured across the inner opening of the tube by an endless lashing whose tautness can be varied to adjust the relative height of the deck within the tube. v p k Desirably, the deck is formed of canvas or other flexible water-resistant material, and is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced grommets at the periphery thereof. The lashing is threaded through the grommets and is engaged over, under and around the tube in a helical configuration suchthat the free ends thereof come to a point where they can be tied under any desired degree of tension. Thus, if the lashing is relatively slack, the deck will be supported deep in the tube and adjacent the bottom thereof, so that the device may beused as a small boat, with the inner surfaces of the tube forming the side walls of the boat. Conversely, when the lashing or rope is tighteiied, the deck will be raised to a position adjacent the top surfaces of the tube and may afford a support Well above the water line to' provide a raft. If desired, a tow line may be attached to the tie ends of the rope, fol rried as an extehsioh of one of the ends, or otherwise fasteiled to the rope or annulus. I I

The rfo'pe itself affords a good handgrip whichcan accommddatea number of people in the event that the support is used for lifesaving purposes, and the device has the advantage over conventional life preservers that it can also be used as a lifeboat or a raft.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a floating support having an inflatable annulus with an inner deck whose height is adjustable relative to the anilul'us. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described wherein the deck is suppo'rted by means or" an endless rope or lashing which is wound around the aniiulus, and whose tautness determines t. e position of the deck. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described which can be used as a toy, raft or boat as desired, but which also has exceptional advantages as a life preservei.

Yet aiiother object of the inventioh is to provide a floating suppo'ft which is simpl in construction and of attractive appearance, and which affords a high degree of stability and safety in use.

@ther dhjeets advantages of the invention will become apparent a's the description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

(in the drawings:

. FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the floating support of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the support fifizhhlih Patented Feb. 2%, 1982 shown in FIGURE l with the deck thereof disposed in an intermediate position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the floating support with the deck disposed in a lower position;

FIGURE 4 is a topplan view, partly broken away, of the floating support of the invention with the deck disposed in an upper position; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines VV of FIGURE 4.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring now to the drawings, a floating support 10 is shown according to. the present invention which includes an inflatable annulus 12, an inner deck or floor 14 and a rope orlashing :16 wound around the annulus 12 in a manner which permits adjustment of the height of the deck 14. i

v The annulus 12 may be an inflatable tube such as is frequently used in swimming pools or the like, and to afford-inflation or deflation thereof a suitable valve 18 is'pfe'ferably'provided at an inner, lower position on the tube. The annulus 1-2 "may, of course, be permanently inflated or formed of a suitably buoyant material, and may have a cross-sectional diameter which is determined in accordance with the contemplated use of the device. In a particular embodiment, for example, the tube may be formed fr-om a farm t ractortire, which when inflated, has a cross-sectiohal diameter of approximately 36 inches. It will be understood that other configurations than the annulus shown may also be utilized within the scope of the invention. p

The deck or floor 14 is preferably formed from a flexible, water resistant material such as canvas, and is provided with a series of holes near its periphery which are generally designated by reference numeral 20. In order to afford an even support for the deck 14, as hereinafter described, the holes 29 are preferably disposed in uniformly angularly spaced relationship such that stresses are distributed evenly across the deck and peripheral sagging between adjacent holes or apertures is obviated. In a preferred embodiment, fifteen such holes are provided spaced twenty-four degrees from one another, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular construction. The holes 20 are preferably located in uniformly circumferentially spaced relation as close to the marginal edge 22 of the deck as is feasible, sons to reduce stress on the deck and facilitate adjustment of the deck. De'sirab-ly, grommets 24 are utilized for reinforcement of the holes or apertures 20 and in order to further reinforce the deck a peripheral annular flange or fold 26 is preferably provided which may be turned under the deck, shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, with the; apertures 20 being *formedin both the planar surface of the deck and the fold 26 to receive the grommets 24.

So as to accommodate easy vertical adjustment of the deck 14, as hereinafter further described, the diameter of the deck is preferably approximately equal to, or only slightly less than, the minimum internal diameter of the annulus 12 so that when the deck is spaced equally from the upper surface 28 of the annulus and the lower surface 30 thereof, as shown in FIGURE 2, the marginal edge 22 of the deck will be positioned in abutting adjacency with the inner surfaceof the annulus. V

The lashing 16 maybe formed of a water-resistant ma terial suchas neoprene, although any other suitable material such as ordinary rope may also be utilized. The lashing extends and is engaged over, under and around the tube as shown, in the form of an endless helix, with each winding being threaded through an adjacent opening 20 in the deck s'o that the individual windings are spaced apart circumferentially in substantially equally spaced relation in correspondence to the spacing of the said openings, thereby to distribute the stress imposed on the tube at a plurality of locations such that no great amount of compression force is exerted at any one point on the tube, and so that the stress exerted on any individual winding is distributed around the upper, outer and lower surfaces of the tube surface.

The free ends of the rope 16 thus come out together at a point where they can be tied, preferably at the outer, lower portion of the tube, and any suitable knot or fastening may be used, as indicated by reference numeral 32 in FIGURE 1. For example, a slide fastener may be provided for this purpose. Consequently, the amount of tension imposed on the rope can be varied as desired, by adjusting the position of the knot or fastening 32.

Obviously, if the rope is left loose or slack, the deck 14 will be supported deep in the tube 12 and near the lower surface 30 thereof. n the other hand, if the rope is made taut, by adjustment of the fastening 32, the deck will be pulled up near the top surface 28 of the tube and will afford a support which may be well above the water line, depending, of course, upon the particular dimensions of the tube.

As seen in FIGURE 3, the lower position of the deck 14 effectively provides a type of small boat of simple but stable construction, for which the annulus 12 itself defines the side walls. Small children may therefore be placed in this craft with a high degree of assurance that they will not accidentally topple out, and the low center of gravity provided by the lower position of the deck or floor increases the stability naturally afforded by the annular shape of the tube.

With the deck 14 in the said lower position shown in FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the marginal edge 22 of the deck is spaced slightly radially inwardly from the adjacent inner surface of the tube, but is nevertheless in register with the minimum inner diameter of the tube so that a full floor space is provided.

Referring now to FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 5, when the rope 16 is tightened to a relatively great extent, the deck 14 will cooperate with the upper surfaces 30 of the tube to provide a raft construction, which will serve as a suitable base for diving activities or the like. With the deck in this position, the rope will tend to draw the tube into a somewhat radially compressed condition, so that the tube surfaces will contact the marginal edge 24 and afford a substantially continuous support surface despite the elevation of the deck from the position wherein it naturally contacts the minimum inner diameter of the tube. Of course, the described abutting engagement of the deck with the tube in its upper position is dependent to an extent on the air pressure within the tube, and it will be appreciated that this pressure may be adjusted by means of the valve 18 as desired.

In order to permit the floating support to 'be towed about on the surface of the water, or to be attached to a mooring, a tow line 34 is provided which is preferably connected to the knot 32;, and may be formed by an extension of one of the free ends of the rope or lashing 16. Of course, the tow line or hawser 34 may also be connected at any other desired location around the tube, and to any of the windings formed by the said lashing.

The individual windings of the rope 16 afford a good handgrip so that a number of people coulde be supported in the Water around the periphery of the tube, in the event that the support 10 is used for lifesaving purposes. However, the support has the additional advantage that the deck 14 permits the device to be used as a life raft or lifeboat, in a manner which has not been pos sible with conventional life preservers.

When the support is thus used as a life raft or lifeboat, the annular shape of the device provides a stability which is greater than that of an ordinary raft or boat of comparable dimension, sincethe weight of the device is concentrated peripherally thereof, and with the an nular portions being disposed in the water to resist lateral stresses. With the deck portion 14 elevated as shown in FIGURE 5, so as to be held above the water line, the numbing and chilling effect of the water is substantially eliminated, so that despite the fact that the support is as compact as conventional preservers, its effectiveness is increased greatly thereover.

Accordingly, a floating support has been provided which is suitable for use with children or adults, and either as a boat, a raft, or a life preserver, with the life preserving functions being greatly improved over those of conventional life preservers.

The device is simple in construction and utilizes but a very few parts, but is characterized by a high degree of strength and stability, as well as an attractiveness and lack of sharp edges or the like which make it highly desirable for use with children. Thus, when the tow line 34 thereof is held by an adult, children may be pulled around the water in a manner which permits them to become accustomed to aquatic sports and to obtain a high degree of confidence in the water. This is particularly true where the deck is lowered to the position of FIGURE 3 so that the child actually comes in contact with the water without being submerged therein. And where the device is tied to a post or otherwise anchored in position, the positioning of the deck 14 at a relatively high elevation such as shown in FIGURE 5, makes the support suitabe for use as a raft so as to replace the conventional rafts which are both unwieldy and expensive. With the deck in the position shown in FIGURE 2, i.e. midway between the upper and lower surfaces of the tube 12, the device can function as both a raft and a boat, to provide the advantages of each.

The support may be placed in condition for transport or storage simply by deflating it, by means of the valve 18, and it may be readied for use with corresponding ease. When collapsed, the flexible characteristic of the deck makes it possible to fold the device in a highly compact bundle, which also assures reduced shipping and handling costs. Furthermore, the endless lashing eliminates any need to disassemble the parts of the device, and prevents tangling while maintaining the parts in proper alignment.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A floating support for recreation and lifesaving purposes comprising an inflatable annulus, a circular deck having a plurality of holes formed in uniformly angularly and circumferentially spaced relationship around the margin thereof, and having a diameter approximating the minimum inner diameter of said annulus, a helical lashing threaded through said apertures and wound under, over and around said annulus and an adjustable fastening for said'lashing providing selective adjustment of the tension of said lashing so that in a relatively slack condition thereof said deck is positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of said annulus, in a relatively taut condition thereof said deck is positioned adjacent the upper surfaces of said annulus and in a moderately taut condition thereof said deck is positioned intermediately of said bottom and upper surfaces of said annulus.

2. A floating support for use as a life preserver and for recreation comprising an inflatable member having a closed configuration with a central opening, a deck having a size corresponding substantially to the minimum size of said opening, a plurality of grommets forming apertures spaced around the periphery of said deck, an endless lashing threaded through said grommets and Wound around said member and means for adjusting the tension in said lashing and for selectively varying the position of said deck through an infinite plurality of positions between a position adjacent the bottom of said member and a position adjacent the top of said member so that in a lower position of said deck said floating support may be used as a boat, in an upper position of said deck said floating support may be used as a raft and in an intermediate position of said deck said floating support may be used both as a boat and a raft, said deck having a flexible characteristic whereby said floating support may be collapsed into a compact package for storage or transport without removal of the deck therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tann June 28, 1904 Hayford Apr. 23, 1918 Bauman et al. Aug. 5, 1924 Stanton Ian. 17, 1928 Hansen Nov. 23, 1943 Long July 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1890 France I an. 20, 1954 

